The Community of Madrid has brought back paid advisory positions for former regional presidents. Isabel Díaz Ayuso appointed Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón, Esperanza Aguirre, and Cristina Cifuentes as elective members of the Comisión Jurídica Asesora, paying them €750 for each meeting attended. The move follows nearly a decade in which former presidents could not receive compensation from the regional budget, after the previous advisory council was dissolved in 2015.
The arrangement, formalized under the statute for former presidents approved by Ayuso in 2025, sets payment per session. The commission held 45 plenary meetings in 2025; full attendance would have amounted to €33,750 for each member. Compensation is net, and attendance is optional: missed meetings, whether due to scheduling conflicts or personal reasons, are unpaid. The regional government says the payment is incompatible with any other public indemnity or salary after a president’s term in office.
The proposed compensation was initially €459 per session, but the final figure rose to €750. Under the rules, former presidents can serve as elective members for up to six years, with the option of extending the term to twelve years for those who led the region for more than four years. That extension applies to figures such as Lenguina, Gallardón, and Aguirre, and potentially Ayuso herself in the future. To qualify, former presidents must have requested the position, governed Madrid for at least two years, and assumed office at the start of a legislative term.
The statute also lets former leaders use official facilities for institutional activities, receive protocol support at events, and claim reimbursement for expenses related to their advisory duties. El País notes that the arrangement mirrors practices in other Spanish institutions, where former presidents retain consultative influence and are paid for their expertise. The move has prompted debate over the appropriateness and scale of the payments amid ongoing public scrutiny of political privileges.
Separately, Esperanza Aguirre’s political record has also featured in coverage of the Lezo case, which concerned alleged irregularities linked to Canal de Isabel II and a golf-course project. In testimony reported in that separate proceeding, Aguirre said, “They never gave me details,” adding that she had left the matter in the hands of her former deputy and successor, Ignacio González. That judicial case is distinct from the advisory appointments.
Madrid’s approach to supporting former officials has changed in recent years. In a related development, the regional government previously allocated €1 million to assist businesses affected by wildfires. Details of that initiative are available in this report on Madrid's wildfire recovery grants.
Spain’s autonomous communities take different approaches to the roles and benefits of former leaders. Some regions maintain honorary or unpaid advisory positions, while others, including Madrid, are formalizing paid consultative roles. Debate over compensation and transparency also concerns the value of institutional memory, shaping public administration reforms across the country.
